A Midsummer Night’s Dream

What does Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a 1980’s American high school have in common? A lot more than you would think! This semester, the Mount Aloysius theater department took on the challenge to make these two worlds meet. Through a lot of time, hard work, and hairspray, Shakespeare successfully stepped into the era of bold colors and big hair!

Unlike the original play, which takes place in ancient Athens, this rendition takes place in an ordinary 1980’s high school. However, that is basically where the differences stop. Besides the setting and costume design, the rest of the play is the same! This renaissance play fits surprisingly well into the 80’s. There are the popular kids, nerds, jocks, outcasts, and even theater kids, all coexisting in their own separate worlds. It is interesting how these stereotypes that fit so well into every American high school existed in a similar way during Shakespeare’s lifetime. It appears that not as much has changed as we thought!

For most of the play, each group follows their own stories. The theater group attempts to master the material for their play, the lovers quarrel, and the outcasts have their own mischief among themselves. This seems like any other high school so far with drama, love, and more drama. However, chaos ensues when forbidden love and the need to practice causes all of them to get lost in the woods. That is where a mischievous outcast plays tricks on the four lovers and enchants the leader of the theater group.

After some very interesting interactions between the characters, the mischievous little outcast was forced to put things right, but not until after an exchange of low insults and and a fight or two — in slow motion of course. Naturally, he had to take a moment to sit back and watch his handiwork before eventually fixing it.

In the end, all the lovers ended up together, the players finally presented their play, and all ended as it should. This is refreshing, considering that most of Shakespeare’s plays that people are familiar with involve most of the characters dying in the end. Overall, the play was really well done. The actors and actresses did an amazing job, as well as the hair, makeup, and costume designers. To be honest, all involved did a great job taking on this play and transitioning it into the 1980’s.

The play and the 80’s fit so well together that the only aspect of Mount Aloysius’ rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that did not mimic the life of the average 80’s high school was the terminology. The whole play was entirely spoken how Shakespeare intended. However, the amazing cast mastered this old, unusual way of speaking so well that their words appeared natural. But, in all honesty, the actors and actresses did so well at expressing emotion and intentions with the way they acted, as well as with their facial expressions, that it could almost be a silent play and the audience would still understand what was happening. This was very beneficial to some of the audience members who may have been a little rusty when it came to Shakespearean verse.

Although most students have read Shakespeare at least once in their academic career, it likely did not compare to watching it play out on stage. So, next time the theater department decides to put on a Shakespeare play, don’t allow the language or date to deter you from watching. You won’t regret it.